Surf the Seas with Beach Whale

Beach Whale, by Dingle LLC, is a charming app that pits players against the waves of the ocean and certain unwanted sea creature obstacles. More specifically, during Beach Whale players need to guide their whales to safely ride the waves and collect fish while still keeping them from getting beached (stuck on the land) or consuming crabs. Among iOS games, this app is unique in the way that it uses actual physical orientation to control the game pieces (whales).

Beach Whale iPhone App Review

Features:

Beach Whale features four different gaming options. Namely, Beach Whale players can choose from “normal,” “survival,” “boss,” and “super boss levels.” As their names suggess, the goal of each of these options varies. However, the basic features (including the control method) of each Beach Whale option remains the same; players actually tilt their iOS screens in order to direct their whale’s movements. In addition to featuring several different varieties of game play, this app also offers multiple whales to choose from, each of which has its own special “powers.” Special accessories, super powers, and trophies can also be purchased in-game for added variety if desired. Additionally, Beach Whale is localized to support various languages (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, and Simplified Chinese) as well.

In order to upgrade whales, unlock different beaches, gain superpowers, or access just about any other than the very basic Beach Whale features, players need to successfully collect fish. Once enough fish have been collected, upgrades are possible, and the playing options for Beach Whale expand significantly. Personally, I was pleased with the difficulty of collecting fish; doing so successfully was difficult enough to keep the game interesting in the beginning stages (before whale “upgrades” were possible) but not so difficult that I felt that it was impossible. While I chose not to “spend” my fish on accessories for my whales, some players may find this feature to be particularly appealing.

Appearance and Layout:

The graphics for Beach Whale are excellent for a game of its kind. Attention has been paid to little details that make the game more interesting, but there are not too many details to ruin the fun, cartoony-feel of the game. In-game signs provide information about how the game should be played, and this simple way of relaying important information seems perfect for the flow of this app. The appearance of the screen in each beach of Beach Whale certainly depends upon that beach and the level that an individual is playing at, but overall I felt that the layout for each screen was well done; the graphics were bright and fun but not overly stimulating.

Value:

This app is sold for $0.99 through the iTunes store, and for this relatively inexpensive price, Beach Whale should certainly prove its worth in entertainment hours. I was pleased with the various ways that the game could be expanded if desired, and the fact that these options can be accessed through earning in-game points (fish) instead of having to pay additional fees further adds to the overall appeal and value of Beach Whale.

Beach Whale iPhone app requires iOS 4.3 or later and is compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. The iPhone app reviews rating:

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